


The Best Christmas

by Flamegirl22



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Christmas, Friendship, Gen, do not copy to another site, mcuchristmasexchange2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 10:40:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21967960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flamegirl22/pseuds/Flamegirl22
Summary: Natasha, Carol and Pepper talk about Natasha's best Christmas.
Relationships: Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6
Collections: MCU Christmas Exchange





	The Best Christmas

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kalacyn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kalacyn/gifts).



> This is a gift for Kalacyn.
> 
> I hope you like it! Merry Christmas!
> 
> I want to offer a big thank you to Ruquas over at MCU Christmas Exchange on discord for arranging this.

Soft music was playing in the background, some man singing about bells and Christmastime in a city. Natasha was tuning it out. She was more interested in the women sitting around her. Pepper, looking just as good in a pair of jeans and a light blue sweater, with her hair in a messy ponytail, as she does in a several hundred dollar dress. Carol was sitting beside her, looking relaxed and drowsy as she sipped at her scotch. They were enjoying the rare downtime they had where they were all together. Nat was curled up on an armchair catty corner to the sofa Pepper and Carol were sharing. Pepper was laughing at something Carol had said. Natasha let her gaze wander the room. Everyone she cared about was here. She could relax knowing they were all safe. Steve, Bucky, Sam and Thor were in a group by the windows, talking and laughing. Tony was with Rhodey and they were watching the gaming tournament that was taking place with Clint, Peter, MJ, Ned, Cooper and Lila. Peter hadn’t hesitated in inviting the younger kids to join them, patiently teaching them how to play. Clint had only joined them a few minutes ago, after Laura and Nate had retired for the night. Natasha had offered to take Nate so Laura could stay, but she had waved her back, taking the sick little boy to bed herself. 

Natasha turned back to the conversation when she heard her name being called. She glanced at the other two women, to see them looking at her expectantly.  
“Sorry, what did you say? My mind was wondering.”  
Carol laughed before she repeated her question.  
“So, what’s the best way you have spent Christmas before?”   
Nat had to think about it for several moments before a smile tugged at her lips. As she started to tell them about it she couldn’t help but get pulled into the memory.  
“When that Christmas dawned, I thought for sure it was going to be one of the worst of my life. I couldn’t have been more wrong.”

***

Natasha woke instantly, as she had been taught in the Red Room. She went from asleep, not that it was a very deep sleep, that would get you killed on a mission, to awake. She cautiously kept her breathing steady, not letting on she was awake.  
“Stop faking. You’re up. I know you’re up.”  
She allowed herself to relax when she heard her partner’s voice. It was rough, but pleasant enough. She opened her eyes and found him exactly where she had left him four hours before, stationed by the window. He was angled that he could see out, but not be seen by anyone outside. They had found an old hunting cabin and decided that they would hunker down for the night. She knew that Clint wanted to keep going, she did too, but they both knew that they needed to find shelter. They wouldn’t have lasted through the night exposed to the elements. She rose gracefully from the floor, stretching out her back as she walked over to Clint.  
“Any activity?”  
“No. I’m pretty sure we lost our tail yesterday. We probably could have chanced a fire last night.”  
“It wasn’t worth it. There was enough blankets to manage without one.”  
Clint just nodded his head toward the table where two protein bars and a flask was sitting.  
“Eat. We need to get moving. We are going have to haul ass if we want to meet exfil on time. I have no desire to hike out if we don’t make our rendezvous point. Laura is expecting me.”  
The red head couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her. She held up her hands when he turned and leveled a blue eyed glare on her.  
“I’m not saying I would want to tangle with your wife right now either. Not much scares me, but your wife nine months pregnant does.” The smile faded from her face as she continued, “I promise you Clint, I am going to get you home on time to see your baby born. I swear.”  
He smiled sadly at her before he turned away, back to the window to keep scanning. “You can’t promise that Nat. For all we know she could have already had the baby.”  
“No, see, you don’t understand.” She said, coming over with the flask in one hand, a protein bar in the other. “Laura and I had an agreement. She would hold out, convince your kid to stay in until nine tonight. I have no doubt she is going to uphold her part of our bargain. So, that leaves me with my part. Getting you there, in one piece, by nine. So, like you said, we need to go.”

Nat did a quick scan of the cabin, making sure they didn’t leave anything behind as Clint continued to keep watch. When she was done, she took over his spot and he did a quick check himself, finding nothing. He didn’t doubt her, it was just a system they had worked out over the years and it worked for them. Without a backwards glance they set out back into the woods. They still had eight more miles to go, through rough terrain, in the dark, and only two hours to get there. 

***

“Wait,” Carol interrupted. “How is this one of your best Christmases? Even I know you didn’t make it in time.”  
“If you let me finish the story, you’ll know.” Natasha said, arching an eyebrow.  
Pepper hushed Carol, when the blond went to speak again, before she took another sip of her eggnog. With a laugh Nat continued her story.

***

The sun was just starting to rise as they came upon the site where the helicopter was supposed to be. Clint shot her a look. It was close enough to the time that they should be here already. Clint made his way across the clearing and disappeared into the trees as Natasha faded into the ones behind her. She crouched down and settled into wait. She kept an eye on her watch, feeling the anxiety creeping up as they passed the ten minute mark. She knew from passed assignments that their ride being late never boded well for anyone involved. She was just getting ready to sign to Clint when she heard the rotors in the distance. She lowered herself even closer to the ground as the machine came into view. She wasn’t reassured to see the bullet holes in the outside of the bird. But, as soon as it set down, she was running from cover to the open door. She could see blood on the arm of the SHIELD agent manning the door. Clint met her in front of the door. She hauled herself into the chopper and Clint jumped in behind her. They weren’t even sitting when the pilot took off, throwing them into the seats. 

Over the sounds of the blades the agents explained that they had taken fire and that they had to deal with that before they could come get them. They confessed that they almost didn’t make it to the exfil point. Clint asked if anyone was hurt worse than what he could see. The agents insisted they were fine. Thankfully it was a quick flight to the abandoned airport they were operating out of. Coulson was waiting for them. The jet they were going to take back stateside was waiting for them. Coulson had made sure the pilots were ready to go. The agents from the helicopter weren’t coming with them. Once Clint, Natasha and Coulson were on board, the pilots did their last minute checks, made sure they were strapped in and took off. Clint leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.  
“If everything goes according to plan, we should make it. Get some sleep. The hardest part of the day is still in front of you.”  
Clint opened one eye to glare at Natasha.  
“Why did you have to say that?”  
“It’ll be fine. Sleep.”

***

Natasha paused and rubbed the back of her neck. Her smile was slightly sheepish as she looked at the other two women.   
“I probably shouldn’t have said that. Needless to say something went wrong with the engine when we were three hours away from our destination. We had to do an emergency landing. Everyone was fine, the pilots were very good at their jobs. So we were pretty much stranded. It had been a long day, we were tired, dirty and hungry and stuck in the middle of no where. Coulson found us a car. SHIELD couldn’t get a plane to us faster than a car. So, Clint and I drove. He called Laura and she told him to hurry. She still expected him to be there on time. So we broke every speed limit on the way there, trying to get there before their son showed up.”

***

As they pulled up in front of the hospital Natasha was already out of her seatbelt.  
“Go, get in there,” She said, nodding toward the building. “I’ll park and catch up.”  
Clint just looked at her for a long moment before he reached over and grabbed her and pulled her to him in a hug. Natasha didn’t stiffen up, but it was a close thing. She still wasn’t used to casual affection.   
“Thank you,” he said, voice gruff.  
Natasha watched as he disappeared into the double doors of the emergency ward. She drove around for several long minutes, trying to find a space, before she gave up and just went to the very top of the parking garage. She wasn’t in a great hurry. This moment was for Laura and Clint, not her. So, she stopped by some vending machines to get some drinks and cheap food that was probably very bad for them, but it was edible and that was all that mattered to her at the moment; giving them even more time. Once she felt like enough time had passed she made her way to Laura’s room. As she stood outside the door, all was quiet in the room. She knocked lightly then pushed the door open. The lights were dim, soft Christmas music was playing in the background. Laura was laying in the bed, looking tired and pained, but so happy. Her eyes were locked on Clint and the tiny bundle in his arms. He was rocking slightly on the balls of his feet. There was a look on his face that she had never seen before. It wasn’t just wonder or love, it was something deeper, something she couldn’t name. He looked up at her, away from the baby, then to Laura. She smiled at him and nodded, before turning her attention onto Natasha. She didn’t know what that was about, but then Clint was coming towards her. There was a different look on his face now; one she couldn’t read. She didn’t like not being able to read him. She wasn’t quite sure how it happened, but suddenly she was holding the baby in her arms. She felt panic wash over her, but before she could demand that Clint take him back, his voice, steady and sure by her ear said “you have him. It’s okay. You’re not going to drop him.”

Natasha forced herself to settle, then peered down at the little face staring up at her. She felt something inside her melt. Some cold, forgotten part of herself start to thaw out. She couldn’t help the wonder that she was starting to feel. Here was a little life, new and bright and full of promise. She looked up when Clint cleared his throat. He was now perched beside Laura on the bed. Nat wasn’t sure when he had moved away from her.  
“We have something we need to ask you. We know you don’t have much experience with kids, we know your past, but we were wondering-”  
“Hoping-” Laura cut in with a smile.  
Clint glanced down at his wife before continuing with a soft smile.  
“Hoping, that you would be Cooper’s godmother. And godmother to whoever else might show up. You do not do anything by halves Natasha. We have no doubt that if something should happen to both of us, you would be an amazing guardian for our son. And if something should happen to me, which is far more likely, I know you would help Laura in whatever way you could. We understand if you need some time to think about it.”  
Natasha couldn’t believe what he had just said. She looked back down at the bundle in her arms, so small and defenseless and she made a vow to herself and to him, that if it was in any way in her power, she would never let anything harm him. She looked back up at the couple and felt tears well in her eyes. Her voice was hoarse when she replied with four simple words.  
“I will. Thank you.”

***

Nat brushed a tear off her cheek as she smiled at the two women before her, completely unashamed. Both were smiling softly.  
“I didn’t make the birth, but Clint did. He made it with only a few minutes to spare. I had no idea they were going to ask me that. I was completely floored, but looking down at Cooper, there was never any other answer. I loved that little boy the instant Clint put him in my arms. It’s been the exact same with the other two.”

Clint glanced up from his video game and their eyes met across the room. She nodded back toward the screen after a second and he turned back just in time to see his car run off the road. Natasha couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her before turning back to her companions.  
“So, yes, that was my best Christmas ever. However, tonight’s pretty high on the list too. Good food, better company, surrounded by the people I love… What more can you ask for? Merry Christmas.”  
Pepper and Carol raised their glasses as they replied “Merry Christmas!”


End file.
